sustainable development goals

Each year 12 million girls under 18 are married; 130 million girls worldwide are still out of school; and approximately 15 million adolescent girls aged 15-19 have experienced forced sexual activity. The EU is committed to continue its full support to see progress and not regress, for girls and women to achieve gender equality.

Two important summits took place in the margins of UNGA this week - The UN Climate Action Summit and the UN Summit on Sustainable Development Goals - where the EU expressed its strong commitment on accomplishing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development towards a peaceful and prosperous world, with human well-being on a healthy planet at its core.

With the underlying “leaving no-one behind” principle, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are universal and indivisible with a clear commitment to future generations. At a time, when the multilateral system is continuously put to the test, we underscore the need to be UNITED in our determination to WORK TOGETHER including through our ACP-EU partnership for the successful implementation of the SDGs by 2030.

A blue sky above the Belgian coast, blue EU and UN flags flying, and none other than the blue Smurfs in their homeland, a perfect setting for a gathering of around 2000 students on a mission to save the blue planet. This was just one of the first actions taking place in the margins of the #EUBeachCleanUp – a global campaign for climate, happening on or around 21 September, World Coastal Cleanup Day. This day also marks the International Day of Peace, and also happens to be the day when in New York the UN Youth Climate Summit brings together young activists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers to showcase climate solutions and engage with global leaders on this defining issue of our time. Adolescents and youths from different walks of life…. together with international organisations and global partners… all with one goal: joining forces in this global fight… a peaceful fight… committed to combatting climate change!